Over the years, cremations have become a large segment of the funeral business in the United States. In 1990, there were 368,000 cremations (or 17% of the deaths that occurred in the U.S.), whereas cremations accounted for only 10% of funeral services in 1980. According to the Cremation Association of North America, the figure will rise to 27% by the year 2010.
The price differential over the traditional burial method accounts for part of the increase in cremations. The present cremation involves a rental casket for the service with the body transferred to a cardboard box for the "final journey" and the placement of the ashes in an urn or container, although the casket itself may be burned. Obviously, the transfer of the body from the viewing casket to the cardboard box increases the costs to the funeral home.
The present cardboard coffins are only constructed to be functional since they are out of view of the mourners. For instance, those coffins have their fluting exposed at their formed edges and are otherwise visually unappealing to view. Therefore, a need exists for a cosmetically pleasing, yet sturdy, cardboard casket that can be used not only in the cremation itself, but also in the funeral service so as to eliminate the need for the traditional coffin (and the costs associated with the transfer of the body).